Halo 2 Blasts onto PC

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Microsoft elects Master Chief as a Windows Vista ambassador.

By David Adams

Today, Microsoft announced it will bring Halo 2 to the PC -- and more specifically, exclusively to the upcoming Windows Vista operating system. Microsoft Game Studios has set up a dedicated development team to work with Bungie on the project.

The PC version of Halo 2 will offer the full single-player campaign and multiplayer maps of the original Xbox version, with the addition of the content in the Multiplayer Map Pack as well as a tool for building and customizing levels.

Microsoft has not announced a release date for the PC version of Halo 2. The company did clarify, however, that the game will only run on Windows Vista and not on earlier versions of Windows.

Wildly popular on the Xbox console, Halo 2 continues where the first game left off. Having helped destroy the original Halo -- a religious artifact and artificial world -- super-soldier Master Chief returns to Earth, only to join a fierce new battle against the alien Covenant forces.

Halo first appeared on PC in September 2003, when Gearbox Software brought the Xbox hit to Windows, offering enhanced graphics and a classic mouse-and-keyboard FPS control scheme.

As the next iteration of Microsoft's ubiquitous Windows platform, Windows Vista will offer enhanced security, media handling, search and organization, and an overhauled user interface, among other features. Vista is expected to arrive in the second half of this year.

Interestingly, just last week Bungie posted job openings for PC programmers. While no specific project was revealed, it was clear the studio famous for the Halo series was planning something for mouse and keyboard users. While some suspected a new title, it also seemed likely the studio would bring Halo 2 to the PC. It isn't clear whether the PC positions are related to today's announcement, however.